


When is a prank not a prank?

by liesorlife



Series: FAB FIVE FEB [9]
Category: Thunderbirds
Genre: Accidental Drug Use, Whump, bad gordon tracy!, big big trouble, prank gone wrong, the tinies are in trouble
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-16
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-18 15:33:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29492115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/liesorlife/pseuds/liesorlife
Summary: Scott has been left to babysit Gordon and Alan, and Gordon decides that putting his brother "To sleep" is a brilliant idea so that he and Alan don't have to go to bed. But the sleeping pills... aren't sleeping pills!FAb five Feb 2021 Scott week - hallucination.
Series: FAB FIVE FEB [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1648882
Comments: 88
Kudos: 28





	1. Sleeping Pills

“SCOTTY SCOTTY SCOTTY WE WANT A STORY!” Alan shouts whilst jumping up and down on his bed clutching his favourite teddy bear. 

It is Friday night and Scott is on putting Alan and Gordon to bed duty. Gordon is still in the bath, refusing to get out and Alan is leaping around their bedroom like he has overdosed on sugar. Scott is in way over his head and he knows that his little brothers are winning this battle, but he is going to win the war! 

He doesn’t often get lumbered with babysitting duty, but their father is on a business trip, John and Virgil are both on a school trip and Grandma has a bowling league meeting, so he is spending his Friday night looking after his two youngest and most troublesome brothers. 

“Okay, pick a story and get into bed and I will be back with your brother in a few minutes” Scott replies, leaving the room for the bathroom across the hallway where he can hear his water loving brother playing. 

“Come on Squid, it is bedtime” Scott says entering the room. 

“Not yet Scotty, I am exploring an underwater cave in my submarine!” Gordon replies. 

“You can explore it later” Scott says, quickly reaching across him and grabbing the plug. 

“SCOTTY! GIVE THAT BACK!” Gordon screams angrily. 

“Come on Squid, that water is freezing, and if you catch a chill dad will kill me” Scott says.

“Good” Gordon replies, poking his tongue out at him and trying to grab the chain back, Scott pulls it out of his grip, and pushes Gordon away. The side of the tub is wet and slippery, and Gordon slips hitting his elbow on the marble tub and letting out a painful howl.

“Gordy?” Scott gasps, grabbing him before his head hits the remaining water.

“I’m telling dad, and then you will go to jail for trying to kill me” Gordon announces, climbing out the tub and grabbing his SpongeBob towel and stalking out the room and into the bedroom he shares with Alan. 

Alan has stopped bouncing on the bed and is sitting on the floor colouring a book he found in Scott’s room. 

“What are you doing?” Gordon asks, as he dries off and gets into the matching pyjamas to his towel. His elbow is killing him, and he can barely move his arm, but he is not letting Scott know that he is hurting, his big brother doesn’t need that satisfaction. A gentle and almost silent whimper escapes his lips as he tries to bend his elbow into his pyjama top, which Alan doesn’t hear. 

“Colouring” Alan replies with a shrug. “Scotty was mean to me” 

“Yeah he was mean to me too. Want to help me get him back?” Gordon asks with a grin, now he is fully dressed, his left arm resting gently on his knee, as he joins Alan on the floor. 

“YES!” Alan shouts leaving the book abandoned in the middle of the room and jumping up onto Gordon’s bed. “What do you need me to do?” 

“Awesome, keep him busy and I will be back in five minutes” Gordon replies, sneaking from the room and downstairs to the medicine cabinet. Taking a bottle of pills, which he assumes are the sleeping pills Grandma sometimes takes, but he doesn’t bother to read the label, these will put Scott to sleep for the night then Alan and he can have a party. 

Gordon sneaks into the kitchen and crushing half a dozen of them into the coffee maker, which Scott has just turned on, and ensuring that they dissolve into the liquid before he sneaks back up the stairs and into his room where Scott is reading Alan the promised story. 

Gordon climbs into his own bed, lying on one side and facing his brother’s bed wrapping his sore arm around his squid and giving a loud but fake yawn designed to lure Scott into a false sense of security. The longer he lies there, the pain starts to dull into a throbbing ache and he grits his teeth to keep Alan from finding out that Scott hurt him, he is going to get his own revenge. 

“The End!” Scott finishes with a flurry, “Now both of you BED!” 

Scott gets up from Alan’s bed, and makes sure he is tucked up safe and warm. “Goodnight Alan” 

“Good night Scotty” Alan replies, his yawn is genuine and his eyelids have grown heavy as his head sinks into the soft foam pillow. 

“Good night Gords” Scott tries, but the blonde ignores him, choosing instead to roll over onto his other side and give out a loud and sarcastic snore.

Now that the terrible two are in bed, Scott can relax and finally make a start on cleaning up the mess from dinner. Pouring himself a coffee, Scott ignores the strange taste as he swallows the strong black liquid in three gulps. 

Turning to the dishes, Scott starts to fill the sink with hot water, but the room starts to spin. Shaking his head to try and stave of the dizziness doesn’t help, and now he feels sick as well as dizzy. He stumbles to the sink to try and switch the water off, but instead he finds himself turning the tap the other way. hot water hits the plate and splashes up and hits him in the face. Scott yells in agony before spinning on the spot. 

Gordon is watching from the stairs, amused at Scott’s confusion, and knowing that he will be fast asleep shortly, as he fed him enough sleeping pills to ensure he stays asleep for a long time. 

“Gotta turn the skink off” Scott mumbles incoherently. “But which skink, there are four now?” He can only stagger backwards before he falls and hits his back on the side before slumping to his knees. Forced to crawl across the kitchen floor, Scott knows that he needs help, and he needs it fast! 

Curling up into a ball on the floor, he starts to cry as he knows that help is never going to come. 

TBC


	2. Flying Monkeys

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scott has a bad reaction to the pills.

Grandma groans dramatically when she pulls up to the house. All the lights are on, and there is a loud thumping excuse for music coming from the lounge, blaring through the speakers through the open window. And she can see the silhouette of what she thinks is Alan jumping from the back of the sofa to the chair and back again. 

“Oh Scott, you had one job!” she thinks as she slides the key into the lock and lets herself inside. 

The hallway is covered in water, from the sink which has overflowed and created a river, which she finds Gordon using as a slide as he “surfs” on his stomach towards her giggling. 

“GORDON!” Grandma shouts angrily. “WHERE IS SCOTT?” if he has gone out and left this irresponsible brat in charge she will make sure he is grounded until Christmas! 

Getting to his feet, Gordon shrugs. He has not forgiven Scott for pushing him earlier, and his elbow is still really painful and swollen. “He was in the kitchen taking a nap” 

Grandma strides past him and throws open the kitchen door. “SCOTT?” she calls as a rush of water washes over her feet, soaking her shoes and the bottoms of her jeans. 

Her initial anger pales into shock by what she finds. 

“Scott?” she asks in horror. 

Her eldest grandson is backed up against the wall, whimpering. Begging the invisible entity in front of him to leave him alone. 

Over and over again the same sentence “No flying monkeys, please no flying monkeys” his arms flapping wildly around his head as he fights of the imaginary beasts.

Grandma turns the water off before she approaches him slowly, grabbing his hands in hers to stop him from accidentally hurting himself. “Scotty? What’s happened?” she asks, her voice calm and quiet and soothing, and so unlike the harsh tones that she usually uses when someone has caused chaos in her life. 

“No flying monkeys Monica please?” Scott says, his eyes glassy and unfocused. 

“Monica?” Gordon asks giggling, and utterly unrepentant.

Grandma ignores him, choosing instead to focus her attention on Scott. He has clearly taken something, and she knows that the only thing he needs now is a hospital. 

“Monkeys?” Scott whimpers once more before falling flat on his face onto the cold, wet stone floor before Grandma has the chance to catch him. 

Her hands are gentle, as she carefully rolls him onto back. 

“Euw grandma, he’s bleeding!” Gordon declares in disgust, as rich red blood gushes freely from Scott’s nose. 

“Get out” Grandma demands of Gordon, gently removing him from the room.

Sitting down on the floor next to Scott’s body, Grandma cradles his head in her lap while she calls for outside help. 

Her own breathing is heavy and laboured with the weight of worry for Scott, who has still not regained consciousness as she waits in the eerie silence for the ambulance to arrive. 

*TB*

“He was supposed to be asleep” Alan says to Gordon. “Gordy you promised he would just go to sleep. What have you done?” 

Gordon shrugs. The two boys have taken refuge in their bedroom and are cuddled up together on Alan’s bed. “I don’t know” Gordon says biting his lip. Despite his show of uncaring bravado downstairs, Gordon is worried. Scott was supposed to just go to sleep for a few hours. Not this! 

The pain in Gordon’s elbow has reached his heart which is pounding painfully against his rib cage, reaching out for Alan with his good arm, he pulls his little brother into his side and they fall silent, both drowning in a deepening sea of their own guilt-ridden thoughts.

The arrival of blue flashing lights lighting up their window pulls them both back to the present. 

“Stay there” Gordon says bravely, as he gets down from the bed and tiptoes from the room and down the soft carpeted staircase. 

Grandma rushes past him to get the door, throwing it open and calling out to the waiting paramedics. 

“THROUGH HERE, IT IS MY GRANDSON. HE ISN’T BREATHING!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Has Grandma got to him in time?


	3. accusations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone has a theory about what happened to Scott, but are any of them accurate

Gordon is rooted to the spot in fear, unable to move as the sheer terror from what his actions have created sinks in. 

There are two paramedics running through his house and into the kitchen. It feels like hours to Gordon before they come back out. His eldest brother is lying on top of a stretcher, his face is covered in dry blood which is visible under the oxygen mask that they have placed over his face. 

Even from his spot on the stairs, Gordon can see the steady movement from Scott’s chest, but it is so slow and shallow.

“Gordon can you get Alan, get coats and shoes on and get in the car. We will follow the ambulance” Grandma announces, using that no nonsense tone which still makes Jeff jump to obey. 

Gordon doesn’t hesitate to flee the scene back up to the safety of his room. 

Alan is still sitting on the bed, and he is still crying. Gut wrenching sobs.

“Come on, Grandma wants us in the car” Gordon tells him. “Where is my coat? Never mind, I got it” finding the discarded item at the end of his bed and managing to wrestle it on over the elbow he hurt hours before. 

“ALAN! GORDON! NOW!” Grandma calls from the bottom of the stairs.

Grandma herds the two boys out the door and into the back of her car. 

Usually there is an argument regarding the front seat, or the radio station but tonight, it is utterly silent.

*TB*

Jeff is about to tuck into a large pizza slice when his phone rings. He ignores it, not even checking the caller ID. This business trip has been full of long and tedious meetings. One of them lasted until eleven in the evening and made him wish he hadn’t given up a lucrative space career to start up his own company so he could raise the boys. 

He manages another bite before the phone rings again. This time he groans but again ignores it. 

The third time he sees that it is his mom calling. Looking at the clock he realises that it is just after midnight in Kansas. His mom wouldn’t be calling this late unless It was an emergency. 

“Mom?” he asks after he has answered the phone with a swipe of his finger. 

“Jefferson, finally” she replies.

Jefferson? Okay now he knows it is an emergency, and that his mom sounds angry with him for not answering.

“Mom, what is it?” he asks. 

“Scotty. He is hurt. You have to get back here now” Grandma tells him. not mincing her words.

“What happened?” Jeff asks. 

There is a moment of silence before he hears her taking a deep breath. 

“He tried to kill himself” 

*TB*

Scott is conscious. His head is aching, he has a dull throbbing at his temples, a sharp stabbing pain across his nose and cheekbones. He never thought that breathing would ever be this painful. He knows that he should be grateful to be alive, but the two fractured ribs he suffered while the paramedics performed CPR on him have made him wish that they hadn’t been successful. 

And he is tired. So so tired. 

But they won’t let him sleep. They, being the stream of faceless doctors who keep prodding him and poking him and making him feel even more pain. They gather in groups in his room, always having hushed conversations in voices barely above a whisper that he knows that he shouldn’t be able to hear, but he can’t drown it out. 

They think he did this to himself?! 

Finally they turn to him, faces full of fake concern. he can feel their insincerity and it is putting him on the defence before they have even had a chance to speak. 

“Scott. I am Doctor Pike, and I want you to tell me what happened. Why did you take the pills? You can trust me” 

Scott glares at him in defiance but doesn’t answer. If they really knew him, they would know that there is no way he would deliberately take an overdose. 

“Scott?” he questions again. 

Scott closes his eyes and wills himself back to sleep, knowing that once his father is here that he will have someone in the world who believes him. 

*TB*

“Grandma, I’m sleepy” Alan complains. They have been here all night, and the cold plastic chairs of the waiting room are hurting his back. 

“I am sure that they will tell us something soon Allie” Grandma says picking him up and placing him on her lap for a cuddle. 

Gordon is asleep on the floor under Grandma and Alan’s chairs. He has Grandma’s coat as a blanket and his snoring quietly. 

Alan has no idea how he can sleep at a time like this. 

Does he even care that this is all his fault? 

*TB*

Waking up a second time Scott doesn’t feel any different. Apart from if it is even possible he is in even more pain. 

“Scott?” 

Scott relaxes for the first time as he slowly turns his head to his father who is sitting next to his bed. He has been joined by Grandma and his brothers who are all gathered around the private room. “Dad?” he rasped. His voice sounds a million miles away. 

“What happened Scott?” Jeff asks. 

“I don’t know. Dad I didn’t take anything I swear” 

Jeff wants to believe him; he really does but what other explanation is there? The last twenty-four hours have been the worst he can remember in a very long time. Every minute of the flight back from California felt like an hour and gave him too much time to think and he doesn’t like his thoughts. Somehow he knows that this is his fault. If he had been there, then this wouldn’t have happened. 

“You don’t believe me do you?” Scott asks. His heart breaking with the realisation that even his own father thinks that he hurt himself on purpose. One lone tear finally escapes and runs down his cheek. No one is ever going to believe him. 

Alan can’t stand it anymore.

Turning to face Gordon the words slip out before he has the chance to stop them. “HE DID IT. HE DRUGGED THE COFFEE!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How are the family going to react to the news that Gordon was to blame for this mess?


	4. Running

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gordon has to deal with the consequences of his actions

“Gordon?” Jeff questions his fourth son, whose guilt is clearly written all over his face. His eyes can’t meet his father’s as he stares resolutely at the ground. 

“Gordon?” Jeff repeats, his voice scarcely above a whisper, almost a hiss with so much venom behind the word. 

As quick as a flash, Gordon flees the room. Down the corridor through the double doors and out into the chilled early spring evening. He is so angry with Alan for letting his secret out. 

Gordon is not familiar with the City, as he rarely spends time here, but that doesn’t matter anymore. All that matters is his escape from the anger of his father and brother’s and grandmother. 

He runs until he can’t physically run any further. There is a painful stitch in his side, and the elbow he injured what seems like weeks ago has not stopped hurting. Sinking down to his knees, Gordon tries to catch his breath, as he desperately gasps for air. He knows that his life is over, there is no coming back from this, he can’t go back and face his father or Scott. He especially can not face Scott. 

There is a park across the street, and once he has calmed down he makes his way across the road dodging traffic and swearing back at the driver who honks his horn when he runs out in front of their car causing them to slam their brakes on. 

To his dismay the gates to the park are locked, but that is not going to stop him! There is a wall built around the perimeter, but that is easily scaled by the nimble blonde, even with an arm he can barely move, and he hops down the other side landing as lightly as a cat on his feet before he starts to look for somewhere to hide, finding a leafy tree that he thinks will be easy enough to climb, and settling down on a large, sturdy branch and leaning up against the trunk. 

He doesn’t mean to fall asleep, but the next time he opens his eyes, there is a weak sunlight bursting through the clouds. 

“Damn, it is morning” he says aloud. The morning after doesn’t make him feel any better about what has happened, and he knows that he has to go back and face his family. 

Getting down from the tree, he flexes his limbs, stretching out his arms and legs, and to his dismay, his arm is still sore and his neck is stiff from sleeping in such an awkward position. Slowly he leaves the park and starts to make his way back to the hospital and his own inevitable execution.

*TB*

Jeff Tracy is an angry man as he watches his fourth son flee from him as the truth about his vile actions come to light. Making the decision that he is done with the boy Jeff buries his head in his hands. How could Gordon do this to his own brother? Where did he go wrong in raising his children?

“Dad?” Scott says tentatively, reaching out with the hand that is not home to a drip and placing it on his father’s arm. 

Jeff’s eyes are welling up with tears, as he allows Scott to comfort him in ways he does not deserve. 

“Someone should go after him” Grandma says. No one answers her, and no one volunteers for the job.

A deeply uncomfortable silence is filling the room, causing an oppressive atmosphere where minutes tick by like hours, before visiting hours are over and Jeff, grandma and alan have no choice other than to go, leaving Scott alone. 

The last thing scott wants right now is to be alone. The dull lighting in the corridor outside means that his room never goes dark enough for him to sleep, as he rolls over onto his side with his back to the door so no one can see him cry.

He must have dozed off though because when he wakes up his father and Grandmother and Alan are back, but they have now been joined by virgil and John who have retuned from their school trip and they too are looking at him with concern and pity. 

“Where is Gordon?” Scott asks his father.

“No idea. But if he returns there are a few things I want to say” Jeff snarls in disgust. A full night with no sleep has given him plenty of time to think, and his conclusion is that he is done with Gordon and his antics.

“When can I go home?” Scott asks, desperate too sleep in his own bed.

“You are going to be here for a few days Scott, you have suffered from som serious injuries son. And once the swelling has gone down then you will need to have your nose reset” jeff informs him. 

“Days?” Scott replies in dismay. “But dad, the baseball season starts next week, I can’t miss tryouts, coach said I was almost guaranteed the captaincy his year”. 

“I’m sorry Scott” Jeff tells him, placing his hand on his shoulder in an attempt to console him.

Virgil is not so easily placated. “You have nothing to apologise for dad, this is all Gordon’s fault.” He spits, “The cowardly rat can’t even bring himself to be here. Dad, Scott nearly died, and I am telling you there is no way that I am going to forgive or forget this”

“Me neither dad. That animal is not my brother” John adds in disgust. 

Neither of the boys are concerned by Gordon’s disappearing act and they know that the Squid will show up eventually. He always does.

*TB*

“My dad will pay, I promise” Gordon tells the cab driver, having finally found his way back to the hospital, and realised that he has no money on him. He has not had anything to eat in nearly twenty-four hours and he feels sick from hunger and pain.

“Listen here kid, you get me my money or I am phoning the police for non payment. Don’t feed me a sob story because I am not interested.” The driver has very little empathy for his passenger, and is only worried about getting his money for the fare. 

“Stay there” the driver tells him, pulling into a parking spot and getting out the car, locking the door behind him to prevent Gordon from going anywhere, knowing that if this is true and he is the son of a billionaire then he would do for a ransom if his father refuses to pay. 

The driver finds jeff in the room, just like gordon described. Smiling he knocks on the door before letting himself in. “Mr Tracy?”

Jeff looks at him, and nods. 

“you owe me fifty-three dollars and seventy-five cents” he says getting to the point. 

“Excuse me?” Jeff asks in surprise. 

“Your son is in my taxi outside.”

“For god’s sake” Jeff replies taking his wallet out and handing over a wad of bills. 

“Pleasure doing business with you!” The driver says, pocketing the cash and leaving the room.

“Add that to what he owes you for this dad” Virgil says rolling his eyes. 

Jeff does no even bother to reply. 

But all eyes are on the door, waiting for Gordon to enter, even Alan’s are filled with anger and disgust as he finally makes his reappearance. 

Jeff is ready, but Virgil is faster as he grabs his younger brother and slams him into the wall before flinging him to the floor screaming the whole time. Over and over again the same two words: “YOU BASTARD” 

Gordon whimpers in pain, and terror but no one lifts a finger to help him as he struggles to his feet, wishing that he never bothered to come back as he shrinks back against the wall in the corner.

Slowly he raises his eyes to look at his father, waiting for him to pronounce his sentence. “Dad?”

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well... is Jeff going to be fair with his 4th son?!


	5. Scott steps up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the family is falling apart, and Scott can't stand seeing the people he loves suffering.

Jeff finds himself sucking in a deep breath, but he doesn’t get the chance to get any words out before Scott interrupts him. “Dad, I want to speak to Gordon alone” he asks. 

Jeff nods, but again doesn’t say a word as he herds Virgil, John and Alan out of the room and Grandma follows him. Grandma looks briefly over at Gordon, their eyes meeting before he looks back to the floor. 

The silence is awkward and tense, before Scott holds his arms out and Gordon races into them, climbing up onto the bed, he starts to cry his face buried into Scott’s shoulder while his big brother holds him. 

They lie quietly for a long-time once Gordon has calmed down before he is finally able to speak. “Sc-Sc-Scott…?” he stutters, his voice shattered and nervous, as he moves his head so he is looking at Scott. 

Scott has not relinquished the grip he has on his younger brother, as he nods, not wanting to make a sound to frighten him now that he is finally able to talk. 

“I-I-I’m S-s-s-s-so sorry” he wails, before bursting into fresh tears. 

Scott doesn’t need to hear anymore, clamping one hand over Gordon’s mouth he starts to stroke his hair with the other, slow soothing motions until Gordon’s tears abate once more. 

“I think we need to talk” Scott says, not unkindly. “Come on, sit up properly” 

Gordon struggles upright, his head still resting on Scott’s shoulder. “Okay” he replies, his voice hoarse and pained. 

“Have some water” Scott says, reaching across to the small table next to the bed before holding the drink up to Gordon’s lips. “Small sips Gords” Scott advises gently.

“Where were you last night?” Scott asks. 

“Slept in a tree in a park” Gordon replies. 

“That explains why you have a twig in your hair!” Scott tells him, trying to lighten the mood and prevent anymore tears, but Gordon doesn’t even smile. 

“That is where I will be living from now on. Dad hates me so he will throw me out” Gordon informs Scott. 

“Gordon, no one hates you” Scott tells him. “And If dad does try throwing you out, I will move out with you!” he jokes. 

“But Virgil…” Gordon starts only for Scott to interrupt. 

“Has no say” Scott confirms. 

Gordon still is not convinced, but he has run out of arguments, and once again he falls silent, rubbing his elbow subconsciously while he snuggles into his eldest brother. 

“What is wrong with your arm?” Scott asks, finally noticing the strange way Gordon is holding his arm. 

“Nothing” Gordon replies quickly. 

“Gordon?” Scott questions again. 

“It’s nothing Scott, leave it” Gordon insists. 

Scott can feel him tensing up and he knows that this is not nothing, but Scott has never been very good at leaving it, especially when it comes to his family. “Gordon come on, just tell me what happened” he insists.

“I can’t” Gordon whimpers.

“Has someone hurt you?” Scott demands, thinking that Gordon isn’t telling the truth about last night, and vowing to hunt down and deal with anyone responsible for hurting him. 

His teeth gritted, Gordon nods silently. 

“Let me see” Scott asks. 

“No” Gordon replies pulling his arm out of Scott’s grasp and jumping down from the bed. 

“Do I need to get dad in here?” Scott asks threateningly. 

Gordon shakes his head.

“Then you need to tell me what happened” Scott says. There is a warmth in his words, that Gordon knows will disappear again if he ever tells him the truth. 

“I can’t” he insists again. 

“Okay, then you leave me with no choice” Scott tells him firmly, plucking his phone from the table and unlocking it with a swipe of his finger. 

“YOU DID IT!” Gordon cries anguished. 

This is the very last thing Scott expected, and he allows his phone to fall to the floor with a loud clatter where the screen smashes into a thousand pieces just like the icy shards in his heart. 

“No, I couldn’t, I wouldn’t” Scott says, unable to believe what Gordon is telling him.

Gordon can only nod now as once again he is crying hysterically, sinking back down on the floor against the wall burying his head in his knees as he sobs.

“When?” Scott asks, still confused. 

“When you pushed me the other day” Gordon tells him, lifting his head. 

The image of Gordon slipping and hitting his arm flashes after he shoved him and the shards of ice in Scott’s heart twist uncomfortably. “Gordy, let me see. Please” he asks. 

Gordon’s approach this time is slow and nervous but he allows his brother to pull up the sleeve of the hoodie he is wearing. The swelling and bruising makes Scott want to throw up, he can’t believe that this is what he is responsible for. 

“I am getting dad in here, he needs to see this, and you need a doctor” Scott tells him an authority in his voice that he does not believe he deserves to use, but he knows that now is the time for him to be strong. Gordon needs him at full smother hen strength. 

“Just tell him I fell, don’t tell him that you did it” Gordon says, his eyes wide with determination to keep Scott’s involvement out of it. 

“Okay, I won’t” Scott promises him.

*TB*

Jeff has taken the boys and Grandma down to the hospital coffee shop where Alan is attempting to eat his body weight in chocolate cake. The atmosphere is tense, with John glaring at Virgil with open hostility. Jeff is barely speaking to Virgil too as he keeps his head down and quietly stirs the coffee in front of him. 

Jeff is relieved when his phone starts to ring. “What’s happened now Scott?” he asks upon answering. 

“You need to come up here, Gordon’s hurt” Scott tells him getting straight to the point. 

“On my way” Jeff replies automatically, hanging up and turning to grandma. “Can you take this lot home for me, I have to go and see Scott. Virgil remember that you are grounded for a week and go straight to your room when you get home. I am not going to let you get away with attacking your brother, no matter how upset you are! I handle the discipline, not you” 

Virgil doesn’t reply, he wants to go to Gordon and throw his arms around him and hold him until it doesn’t hurt anymore, but he can’t. He doesn’t deserve Gordon.

“Of course, call me if you need anything” Grandma replies. “Come on you three” 

Jeff watches as the boys leave before he goes back to Scott’s room to deal with the latest crisis. 

He isn’t surprised to see both the boys on Scott’s bed. “What happened” he asks. 

“Let me do the talking” Scott whispers quietly to Gordon, who doesn’t object.

“Gordon needs to see a doctor, he hurt his elbow” Scott tells him. 

“How?” Jeff adds, mentally adding another week to Virgil’s grounding. 

“He fell” Scott insists, keeping his promise to Gordon to protect himself.

“Okay, come on Gordon let’s go” Jeff replies, and the two leave the room leaving Scott alone with his dark thoughts. 

Scott leans back against the pillow, his head is starting to ache again, and he wants nothing more than to be able to sleep, but everything that has happened is making it impossible for him to switch off, but he closes his eyes and despite his feelings guilt he finally feels himself drifting off.

It is dark when he wakes again, and he is no longer alone.

A second bed has been added to the room, and there is a blonde, brown haired boy fast asleep with his arm in a cast. 

“Hey Scott, meet your new roommate!” Jeff says with a grin.


	6. While Scott sleeps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Find out what damage Gordon has done to his arm right here!

“Okay, come on Gordon let’s go” Jeff replies, and the two leave the room, Jeff has his hand on Gordon’s shoulder and he can feel the tension coming from his fourth son, and he knows that Gordon is scared of what he is going to do next. 

Jeff doesn’t blame him for being scared, he has let him down badly over the last forty-eight hours and he wants nothing more than to be able to wrap him up in his arms for a cuddle and tell him that everything is going to be okay, but first things first, he has to get him to a doctor. 

The pair head down to the emergency room before Jeff finally speaks. “Go and grab a seat, while I get you an appointment” he says to Gordon, who obeys him without questioning, and sitting down on one of the hard plastic chairs near a second-hand book stall. 

There is an old hardback copy of the encyclopaedia of Sharks on the shelf which Gordon can’t help but eye up, but he knows that his father will never agree to getting him the book, even though it is a first edition and extremely rare. 

Gordon sighs as his father joins him, sitting down on the chair next to him. “What is it?” Jeff asks. He knows that Gordon wants something, he has been raising him for eleven years now and there is nothing that would surprise him though! 

Gordon jumps nervously. “N-N-Nothing” he stutters, his voice shaking with terror. 

Jeff can’t do this any longer. Wrapping both his arms around his son, he pulls him into his embrace and doesn’t let go. “I think we need to talk” he says gently to him, using a tone so similar to Scott that Gordon can’t stop a few more tears from escaping. 

“Gordon Tracy?” a voice calls from near the door which leads through to the triage area. 

“Rain check?” Jeff says, helping Gordon to his feet. 

“Okay” Gordon replies, his voice is tired and strained with the fear and exhaustion from everything that has happened in just two days.

He tries to be brave, as he is poked and prodded and x-rayed and interrogated, but it is really difficult as every time he is forced to try and flex his elbow a sharp, shooting pain fires its way up his arm again. 

Jeff doesn’t leave him for a single moment, allowing him to squeeze his hand every time the pain spikes. 

“Dad?” Gordon finally asks once they are alone. 

“Yes” Jeff replies.

“Can I talk to Virgil?” he asks hopefully. 

“I sent him home with your grandma, John and Alan” Jeff informs him. 

“Please” he begs. 

“Okay, I will go and grab a coffee, and give you two some privacy, okay?” Jeff hands over his phone and gets up from beside the bed. 

*TB*

“You heard dad, go to your room” John tells Virgil rudely once they have escaped the confines of Grandma’s car. 

“John don’t be rude. Virgil get upstairs” Grandma intervenes, but John doesn’t bother apologising. 

Virgil knows that they are all angry with him, but he didn’t mean to lash out, his anger just got the better of him. The very last thing he wanted to do was hurt Gordon and now his little brother is in hospital, and it is all his fault. 

Virgil trudges into the house where the floor is still soaking wet and picks his wat across the floor and up the stairs where he throws himself onto his bed and starts to cry, where he knows that no one will see him. 

He is lying on his back staring up at the ceiling when his phone rings. “Ugh” he thinks as he sees his father’s name flashing up on the caller I.D, he was wishing it was someone who he could ignore, but he knows that he is already in too deep to ignore his father. 

“Hi dad” he says, after he has accepted the call. 

“Virg?” 

It isn’t his father, it is Gordon on the other end and his face which comes out of the hologram transmitter. 

Virgil has no idea what to say, there is nothing he can say to make this better. 

“Are you okay?” Gordon asks nervously. 

“I’m fine” Virgil replies, subconsciously wiping away a tear from his cheek. 

“Virgil don’t lie to me” Gordon insists. “You’ve been crying” 

Virgil knows that Gordon is impossible to hide his true feelings from, the pair are just too close. 

“I am so sorry Gordy, and I promise that I will make it up to you. We will go to the aquarium every weekend until we get put in a home by our children!” 

“Erm okay” Gordon replies confused. “Virg it is okay, you were angry, I know you didn’t mean to hurt me, and I will settle for you keeping me company while we are both grounded! Just do me a favour?”

“Anything” Virgil replies. 

“Please look after Squid for me” Gordon asks. “He needs a cuddle” 

Virgil finally manages a smile “Of course, hang on I will sneak into your room and get him” 

Virgil mercifully finds Gordon and Alan’s room empty as he picks his way across the chaos, falling over Scott’s yearbook and not stopping to think that it is not where it is supposed to be as he walks to Gordon’s unmade bed. 

The plush red squid which has been a part of their lives since the day after Gordon was born is sitting   
On his pillow, his button eyes staring out at him as Virgil gently picks up the toy. “Come on Squiddie, you are coming for a sleepover” Virgil tell him as he makes his way undetected back to the room which is to be his cell for the next week.

“We are back” Virgil tells Gordon once he is safely back on his own bed, the plushie on his knee. 

Gordon’s face lights up with happiness. “Hi Squiddie” he says as Virgil manipulates a tentacle into a wave for him. “Take care of Virgil for me and I will be home as soon as possible” he promises his best friend. 

Jeff comes back into the room carrying his coffee cup in one hand and a large cotton tote bag in the other, and he is followed by Gordon’s doctor. 

“Sorry Virg I have to go” Gordon says. “Bye Squid. 

“Call me back” Virgil replies hanging up the phone. 

*TB*

“Well?” Jeff asks once he has drained his coffee cup. 

“It isn’t good news I am afraid. Gordon has a hairline fracture just below his elbow and a torn tendon. Unfortunately, the tendon damage is going to need a minor operation which I can get booked in for tomorrow morning. I will go through the procedure in detail with you, once we have got Gordon settled, he will need to stay here overnight.” 

“Can I share with Scotty?” Gordon asks trying to remain positive about the situation. 

Jeff grins back. “I think Scott will love a roommate!”


	7. Room mates

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Virgil decides that if he is going to be grounded then he wants some company!

John is exhausted, but the night sky to crystal clear and he is determined to make the most of the night. Night has always been his favourite time of the day. No brothers bothering him, just him and the inky black sky and his beloved telescope. 

So he is shocked when his door starts to creak open, the brother on the other side trying to be quiet and subtle and failing miserably. He knows that it is not his father or grandmother, they knock! 

Turning around John was expecting Alan, as his youngest brother is not used to sleeping on his own. 

“John?” the voice of one of his elder brother hisses. 

“Virgil?” now John is surprised, he has not made a secret of his displeasure with Virgil for smacking Gordon’s head against the wall in the hospital earlier that day and he is supposed to be grounded. 

“I need your help” Virgil tells him, not bothering with any small talk. His voice is horse and it is clear to John that Virgil has only just stopped crying, and that he has not had much sleep either. 

That anger melts away as he turns to face the amber eyes of his immediate elder. 

“What do you need?” John asks, even though he has a feeling that he will regret this! 

“Dad said that he is going to ground Gordon for a week” Virgil says. “He told me that he needs to punish him, but doesn’t want to be too harsh as he has already suffered so much” 

“Yeah I know, he told me the same thing. What has that got to do with me? And I am not going to get myself grounded in solidarity!” John tells him with a grin. He has plans for next weekend, as there is a new show at the planetarium in New York and his dad promised him that they could go.

“I have spoken to Alan and he agrees” Virgil starts. 

“Agrees with what?” John thought he was confused before but now he is really lost! 

“That Gordon doesn’t like being stuck in his room on his own” Virgil continues. 

“Then he shouldn’t get into trouble!” John says, offering a face palm in response. 

“Stop interrupting! Alan is going to move into my room, and I am going to move in with Gordon to keep him company” Virgil finally gets to the point. 

“Have you asked dad?” John asks, knowing the answer already. 

“Nope, but if we sort it out now then he can’t say anything” Virgil confirms John’s thoughts. 

“Okay fine, but if dad asks I had nothing to do with it!” John says, following Virgil out of his room and down the hallway to Alan and Gordon’s room where he finds his youngest brother bouncing up and down on the bed chanting:

“IM GETTING MY OWN ROOM!” 

“Shhh! You’ll wake Grandma up” Virgil says making a grab for the blonde, who leaps into his arms giggling. 

“Come on, grab your bedding and follow me” John tells Alan once Virgil has placed him back on the ground. 

It takes the three boys working together almost an hour to move everything that they will need for the next week into their respective rooms, before John is free to collapse into his own bed for a well-earned nap!

*TB*

Grandma: Jeff, the boys are all up changing rooms  
Jeff: I know, I can hear them! and they think that they can get anything past us. Night mom!  
Grandma: Night son. What time are you leaving for the hospital in the morning?  
Jeff: Gordon’s operation is scheduled for nine, so I need to be out of here by six at the latest  
Grandma: Give them both a cuddle from me  
Jeff: Will do.

*TB*

Gordon and Scott are both awake when Jeff arrives at the hospital. Scott is sitting up in his bed shovelling porridge into his mouth as though he has not eaten for a week while Gordon looks on enviously, as the “Nil by mouth” sign is still attached to the end of his bed. 

“Dad when can I come home?” is the greeting he gets from Scott. 

“Good morning to you too son” Jeff replies, sitting on the chair in between the two beds, and reaching across and stealing a slice of his toast with a grin. 

“DAD!” Scott protests loudly, while Gordon giggles. 

“A few more days Scott, the doctors just need to make sure that you are okay. You are going to have your nose reset tomorrow, and then once you are home, the doctor has said that he wants you to stay home for two weeks before you can go back to school” 

“That isn’t fair” Scott whines. “I am perfectly fine, it only hurts if I move, talk or breathe!” 

Jeff doesn’t answer with anything other than a brief eyeroll, before turning his attention to Gordon. “As for you” 

Gordon gulps. “Yeah?” he asks tentatively. 

“You get to stay here for the next few days, and when you get home, you are grounded for a week. But once the cast comes off in about ten weeks you aren’t banned from the pool. I don’t know about how you boys feel but I just want to put this all behind us and get back to normal” Jeff says. 

Gordon moves over to the edge of the bed and pats the space next to him indicating for his father to come and sit next to him. 

Jeff wraps him up in his arms and they sit there quietly, a calming silence falling across the room, until they come for Gordon. 

*TB*

Jeff knows that the operation will only take around forty-five minutes, and that he has hired the best specialist in the state to carry it out, but he can’t help but be nervous. 

He is sitting on the plastic chair once again, sipping a cup of coffee which has the consistency of just mixed cement as he tries to keep up with what Scott is telling him. 

He catches a few words he doesn’t like. “Guilty” “all my fault” “I’m sorry” and realises that he needs to start paying attention.

“Start again Scott, you aren’t making much sense” Jeff tells him, looking up from the coffee and fixing his full attention on his eldest son. 

“I promised him that I wouldn’t say anything, but dad, I can’t. This is all my fault” Scott starts. “Gordon got hurt because of me. I was the one who pushed him.” 

Jeff can’t believe what he is hearing, but he knows that keeping this secret is hurting Scott, so he lets him carry on with his story. 

“I didn’t even know that I had hurt him. if you are going to punish him and Virgil then you need to punish me too. I can’t get away with putting my little brother in this situation” Scott insists, there are tears streaking down his face.

Jeff is not normally lost for words, but this is more than he can handle right now. Vowing to make serious changes in all of their lives. Would this have happened if he had been home more? If he hadn’t relied on Scott to help him raise his brothers? The thousands of “if onlys” dance in front of his eyes for a few seconds before he blinks them away. Getting up, he walks over to the small sink in the room and pours the rest of the tar-like substance down the plug before turning back to Scott. 

The bed groans with Jeff’s added weight as he joins Scott who rests his head on his father’s shoulder. “How about we ground you for a week. Same deal as Gordon and Virgil. I don’t want this to ruin the relationship between you and your brothers, and I am more than willing to put this behind me and make a fresh start for all of us, and I was thinking when you and Gordon are feeling better of taking a vacation” 

Scott raises his head up from his father’s shoulder. “A vacation? Can we go to London?” 

“We will sort that out later!” Jeff replies. “But I am going to tell you what I told both Virgil and Gordon; let this be the end. No more dwelling on what happened just learn from your own mistakes and make sure it doesn’t happen again” 

Scott nods. That he can do, he has no intentions of putting himself or his brothers in this situation again. 

Jeff and Scott get into a discussion about their vacation destination and are still happily debating when Gordon re-enters the room, sitting up on his bed, an I.V line in his right arm and a new bright yellow cast on the other which ends just below his armpit. 

“Welcome back Squid” Scott tells him smiling as his brother settles back against the pillows and yawns heavily. 

“Th-th-thanks” Gordon replies trying to stifle another large yawn and failing before his eyes close and he starts to snore.


End file.
